1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seat belt storing structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional bench seat. The bench seat 101 that can accommodate three people at the maximum is provided with a seat belt 102 for a passenger seated in a left-hand side seat, a seat belt 103 for a passenger seated in a right-hand side seat and a seat belt 104 for a passenger seated in a central seat, and the left- and right-hand side seat belts 102, 103 are a so-called lap and shoulder or three point seat belt, which is constructed so as to be retracted into a retractor (not shown) when not in use. On the other hand, the center seat belt 104 is a so-called lap or two point seat belt, which is stored in a seat belt storing bag 105 when not in use.
This seat belt storing bag is sewn using the same material as that used for the skin of the seat 101, and in a case where the seat 101 comprises a seat cushion 106 and a seat back 107 provided rearward of the seat cushion 106 and is a bench seat provided with a left-hand side seat 108, a right-hand seat 109 and a center seat 111, the seat belt storing bag 105 is conventionally provided on a seat surface 112 of the center seat 111.
However, providing the seat belt storing bag 105 on the seat surface 112 of the center seat 111 deteriorates the external appearance of the seat. In addition, the seat belt bag 105 touches the hip of the seated passenger (even when the bag is empty), and the seated comfort is also deteriorated.
Moreover, when the seat is caused to slide longitudinally or rotate, there may be a risk that the seat belt pops or suspends out of the bag.
In addition, the seat belt storing bag 105 needs to be sewn using the same material as that used for the skin of the seat 101. This increases the use of the expensive texture and requires a process for sewing seat belt storing bags 105, thereby increasing the production cost.
To this end, an object of the invention is to provide a seat belt storing bag which can preserve the external appearance and seated comfort of a seat, prevent the popping out of the seat belt and reduce the production cost.
With a view to attaining the object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a seat belt storing structure, wherein a belt storing bag for storing a belt and a tongue plate of a seat belt is provided so as to be attached to the back of a seat cushion of an automotive seat comprising the seat cushion and a seat back.
The belt storing bag is provided so as to be attached to the back of the seat cushion of the automotive seat. When the seat belt is not in use, the belt and the tongue plate of the seat belt are stored together in the belt storing bag. As a result, it is avoided that both the belt and the tongue plate are placed on the seat cushion, the external appearance of the automotive seat being thereby preserved.
Additionally, since nothing is placed on the seat cushion, there is no risk that something touches the hip of the seated passenger, the seated comfort being thereby preserved.
The belt storing bag is provided so as to be attached to the back of the seat cushion, so that the belt storing bag is made to be located close to a lower anchorage of the seat belt. As a result, the belt can be stored in the belt storing bag as far as a portion in the vicinity of the anchorage, this preventing the popping out of the seat belt (belt).
Furthermore, since the belt storing bag is located on the back of the seat cushion and hence is concealed from the front, there is no need to use a decorative skin material or fabric, and hence a fabric material of lower grade may be used, this eventually leading to the reduction in production cost.